Top 5 of 2016 with Maritime Outdoor Family!

Maritime Outdoor Family has had lots of fun outdoors in 2016 both here at home in the Maritimes and travelling beyond. Here are our top 5 outdoor moments!

1. Stanley Glacier, Kootenay National Park, British Columbia

Up 8.4km of talus slopes to our first family glacier hike! This one was our favourite of the year and the most challenging! It was a cold, rainy day and we were so proud of our 5-year-old kiddo's hiking! 

2. Cape Split, Nova Scotia

As posted here, we are so proud of our kiddo for her new longest hike of 13km!

3. Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park, Alberta

While Johnston Canyon is a major tourist attraction, it was well worth the visit. Also, many of the tourists don't venture beyond the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls, so the second half of the trek was less crowded. Over a course of 5.2km, we ventured across narrow catwalks down in the canyon, saw numerous waterfalls with beautiful shades of turquoise blue water, entered a cave and had a waterfall splash on us we were so close to it.  

4. Bluff Trail, Pot Lake Loop, Nova Scotia

This is a hike I have done many times (and even wrote about it here before), but I had not yet brought the kiddo out to this boulderous, barren haven. While this loop is not an easy hike, my 5-year-old loved all of its 9km! She even brought her journal to make notes of all the wildlife she saw and decidedly pronounced herself the leader of the hike! 

5. Backcountry Camping at Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia
We've camped at Keji lots in the past (see here and here), but this was was a highlight for us because we went with friends who also have a 5-year-old. We don't often get to enjoy wilderness camping with friends with we kiddos. The two had a great time and upon discovering a beetle chrysalis made this fantastic sign to mark the beetle's territory. During the calm October weekend, we hiked the lovely 5km Hemlocks and Hardwoods Trail, spotted a couple of playful red-headed woodpeckers, and even saw over a dozen red-spotted newts when fetching our water from the lake. 

We are so grateful to have had so many amazing wilderness experiences this year on each of the coasts of this vast and beautiful country. We are looking forward to more outdoor explorations in 2017! 

Happy adventuring!

A Perfect Start to Family Cycling: Rails to Trails

Want to start cycling with your kids? Rails to Trails is the perfect place to begin! Let me share with you a bit about why they are a great place for family cycling:

1. No traffic! The Rails to Trails run long stretches without ever seeing cars. This is an immediate relief to most parents new to cycling with their babies/toddlers because it is so much safer and less stressful. You can tow your wee one in a trailer without the risks of exhaust fumes or rear crashes; you can ride with your wee one in a bike carrier seat without worrying about losing your balance and falling into traffic! The trails will occasionally cross roads, but one could even plan their first route to avoid these crossings if desired. 

Besides, kids think it's pretty cool to drive under the traffic on the road!

2. EASY PEASY RIDE! The trails are old railway lines! There is essentially no incline! It makes it very easy, especially when towing 30+ pounds of baby and trailer behind you! I can't promise the lemon squeezy at the end of the ride, but trust me, it is easy! 

3. Awesome trails! Okay, so yes, like I said, the Rails to Trails are awesome--wide, smooth, flat. But I mean that these trails connect to more awesome trails! Want to try a first day trip? Head to the BLT Rails to Trails and  enjoy a stop by the lake on Cranberry Run. Or park your bike and hit the trail at Bluff Wilderness Trail. And when everyone feels comfortable with day trips, why not step it up to an overnight trip? (Though you may need to hit up MEC for some panniers for this one!)

Stopping for a snack by Black Point Lake on Cranberry Run

Backcountry Hiking right in Halifax's Backyard: Bluff Wilderness

I have been anxious to check out Bluff Wilderness Trails for some time now but have not been sure how challenging it might be with a wee one coming along! So what better way to find out than to go check it out? Well, today my husband and I magically both had the day off while H was at daycare, so we went hiking! (We chose to go just the two of us to evaluate how we would want to plan a trip with our wee one and to enjoy some time just the two of us!) We hiked 2 of the 4 loops: Pot Lake Loop and Indian Hill Loop, totaling 18 km. At the end of the day our legs were sore but our minds were rejuvenated with beautiful landscapes!

To get to the trailhead, I do not recommend following Michael Hayne's guide nor using Google maps for "Bluff Wilderness Trail". Basically, coming from Halifax, it will take 15 to 20 minutes. You want to:

-Take the Highway 102

-Take Exit 1A (Peggy's Cove-South Shore)

-Take Exit 4 (Hubley-Timberlea)

-Turn RIGHT onto St Margaret's Bay Rd.

-Drive 2 km

-Trailhead parking on the right beside Bay Self Storage

Okay, so onto the real question: how accessible is this hike for wee ones? Well, it is a difficult hiking terrain (lots of boulders, roots, rocks, some log crossings). So most obviously this is NOT a stroller hike. For babies, you would want to wear them securely. For toddlers, you should consider a mix of a kid carrier and your toddler walking. For older kids, this will be a fun challenge for them to walk themselves. Your hiking speed will be considerably slower with kids along, so I would recommend trying only the first loop (Pot Lake Loop) to begin.

Orienteering on this trail however is quite simple. The trails are colour-coded with markers throughout. There are many barren areas where you cross over boulders, and black arrows on the rock point you in the needed direction. There are also maps where each loop meets (at any intersection of trail) and a detailed downloadable map here. No worries about getting lost in the backcountry here, but bring your map & compass just in case!

Blue trail marker (on the right) showing the way through some boulderous terrain.

Arrows denoting the direction to hike.

We were so amazed that this escape to nature has been so close by and we have not taken advantage in the past. It is astonishing, and if you don't believe me, see for yourself!